I have dedicated audio room 14.5x20.5x9 ft. Currently have Marantz Reference CD/Intergrated paired to Magnepan 1.7's with REL T-7 subs. For the vast majority of music I love this system. The only nit pick is that it is lacking/limited in covering say below 35 hz or so. For the first time actually buzzed the panel with an organ sacd. Bummer. Thought of upgrading subs to rythmicks but then I will need to high pass the 1.7's. Really don't want to deal with that approach.
Enter the Double Impacts. Many interesting things here. Would certainly have a different set of strengths here. Dynamics, claimed bottom octave coverage in one package, suspect a good match to current electronics.
I've read all the threads here so we do not need to rehash that. Just wondering if others out there have FIRST HAND experience with these or other Tekton speakers
It’s pretty exciting to read so many positive experiences with the DI and as a bargain hunter in all aspects ofife, it’s price has me considering a pair.
My main challenge is room depth, I have plenty of volume , but speaker placement would have to be 6" from the front wall. Normally I wouldn’t consider a rear ported speaker ( and wish a front ported model was available), but most of the photos I see in the Tekton gallery, speakers are being shoved right up against the front wall. It seems this would diminish sound quality and am wondering if anyone can share their thoughts on my depth of space limitations.
If you can evaluate the overall sound quality of Jeffery's system based on what you hear on that video you have some extraordinary auditory abilities, indeed! I'll call later this morning my editor at hometheatereview.com and highly recommend you for the new staff writing position that's open.
Brilliant! Being that I already write professionally, perhaps your editor will be agreeable to my rate, or I might be persuaded by the perks of auditioning new kit.
As to my exceptional hearing, although tone, timbre, dynamics (to an extent), and imaging were lost in the video's audio; still, one could tell that there is an evenness to the overall projection and that soundstage was not lacking. At the very least, I was a little shocked that a rather dense piece of music could still be rendered well from the Ulfbehrts, being siphoned through a bottleneck like a cell phone or a small cam.
Wow, if the DI’s are sonically at, or above, the likes of the Wilson Sasha’s I can only imagine what the Ulfberhts compare to. The low ceilings of my basement listening room won’t accommodate the Ulfberhts height so I can be content only spending $8500 for the mini Ulfberhts. I can now tell my wife I just saved $3500!!!
Thanks again to teajay and mykerte, along with everyone else, for sharing their Tekton experiences. It’s quite exciting hearing such praise for speakers us mere mortals can afford.
I agree with Jonathan, room size be damned, get the DI’s and you won’t be disappointed. They as well in intimate settings as they do in filling large spaces with beautiful music. I believe they sound best away from the walls, but still sound very good near them.
Well, I should be busy working on fulfilling orders this morning but thought I'd take a quick peek to see how this thread is evolving. Wow! There is so much going on here in real-time. Michael with the DI's... Teajay evaluating the ULF's... Clement Perry with his upgraded DI's, etc... Amazing!
I'm truly humbled and simply want to say how grateful I am! Thank you!
Everyone on my inside circle knows I simply want to create. I simply feel inspired and driven to simply create music. As a professional musician (a drummer) I've had the lifelong goal of improving the quality of audio and wanting to push the envelope.
@grannyring - It shouldn't be a problem. I once purchased a Chord DAVE in the Czech Republic and took it right on and off the plane. I had to jump through few hoops at customs, but it wasn't a big deal.
@lmswjm - I hope those are Vitop's mini-Ulfs. If not, I hope they are mine since I'm not asking for high-gloss. :-)
So excited for you and your success. I’ve read other Tekton threads on hear (sic) and the Tekton Double Impacts, et al, are indeed very disruptive and causing consternation in many audiophiles who are convinced their speakers have to be better because they spent a fortune on them and begrudgingly can’t accept that the Double Impacts are as good or even better sounding in many respects.
"I’m licking their tears!" (Thanks Scott Tinnerman ~ Southpark)
This was meant to be comical, if you take it the wrong way, well I wouldn’t cry about it if I was you. Lol 😂
With all the latest talk of speaker placement and the compromise most of us have I couldn't stand it any longer and I have my DI's 6 inches away from the front wall.
I'm actually quite surprised by the sound I'm getting now it's not as good as I'm used to with the speakers farther from the wall.
1. Bass is still 95% as good a little muddy and or boomy but that could be easily fixed with panels. 2. The all important to me tone and timbre and midrange is just as good. 3. The soundstage isn't as deep front to back but still sounds very good and every individual instrument and voice is precisely were it should be.
So for the folks that may be on the fence contemplating this speaker I agree with what has already been said,Room be darned buy them and enjoy them anyway.
Ok, so in living up to my word on testing the DIs up against the front wall and then out in their ’regular’ position.....
Please know that these findings are based on a relatively quick test to answer a question and/or an unknown for me, based on the back and forth in this thread on the DIs performance closer to the front wall or further out from it.
I’ll repeat the placement test again in a couple of days to see if my first test findings change, or not.
NOTE, NOTE, NOTE: !!! I am not trying to stir up any waters or participate in a speaker placement battle. I’m not saying that one is right or wrong. I realize we all have our unique room and other ’environmental’ issues to deal with. !!!
----------------------------- Music used:
J. S. Bach: 6 Suites for Solo Violoncello by Mischa Maisky (Prelude and Allemande) and You Don’t Know What Love Is by Cassandra Wilson off of her Blue Light ’Til Dawn album. -----------------------------
The Double Impacts were placed 6 inches from the front wall, 9 feet apart (center to center), with no toe in. There is bare wall behind the ports and the edge of a window about halfway on-up relative to both of the DIs (the room is symmetrical). The ports were left as is.
My seating distances were identical in distance from both speaker positions. I did move around to see if another seating position would be more beneficial for the ’against the wall’ arrangement.
Listening was done at my normal-critical listening level...around 85-90db.
Speakers in both setups were 9 feet apart to keep the set-apart distance the same (my normal position is just over 8 feet apart).
Differences between the two setups:
1. there is a low (26 inches tall) and long (84 inches) wood media console directly between the speakers when in the up-against-the-wall placement.
I’m sure this has an impact, but for those of you choosing to place the speakers up against the wall...it’s probably a likely condition in your setups. In the out-in-the room setup, the media console’s front edge is just behind the back sides of the speakers (by a couple of inches).
2. I have heavy and absorbent draperies on two chairs set about 2 feet behind each speaker in my ’regular’ speaker setup. -------------------------------
The GOOD NEWS:
Bottom line, the DIs performed quite well up against the wall.
From memory, they beat my previous speakers set up in a more ’optimal’ position (with the exception of bass). I believe this has to do with the design of the upper half of the DIs and also because the music I chose is mostly covered by the ’upper half’ drivers.
One important note is that my current system is significantly higher in quality than when my former speakers were in rotation (so keep that in mind...a former-orange to now current-apple comparison).
The reason this comparison is valuable because I believe: IF, folks have a similar positional setup with their former speakers and the other elements in the chain remain the same....
....I’m fairly confident in saying that they are likely to obtain much better sound out of the DIs up against the wall (vs their previous speakers in the same position). In other words, I think one’s previous reference point is going to be a factor here. ---------------------------------
The BAD NEWS:
In broad brush strokes, this was an illumination of a reversal in what we music lovers and audiophiles are normally chasing. Less, rather than More.
Bass suffered. It was muddier and flatter. Air and decay were not as ’beautiful’ sounding. Cassandra’s voice lacked vitality vs my ’regular’ speaker position. Soundstage was not as precise or focused. The leading edge of notes were not as sharp. Tone and timbre were not as palpable. There was less energy to the music.
Overall, I missed the musicality and energy of, the emotional connection to, and the shear beauty of the music I know IS possible and present in the ’regular’ placement position. -------------------------------
FINAL POINTS:
If out in the room placement is an impossibility, I think one can still bring more out of the DIs...though (by my estimation) they will still not be as optimal sounding as when pulled out into the room and optimized to ones ears.
I believe that some of these issues can easily be addressed if one has to place the speakers up against the wall. For example, the ports could be damped/plugged. One could put the speakers up against a bass trap / other type of panel. And certainly, if possible, the console or any other ’stuff’ in between the speakers can be eliminated.
What I personally learned from this is that the DIs, when placed up against the wall, still perform well and will likely be superior to other rear ported speakers, especially when they are also placed in a similar position...all other things being equal.
The other take-away for me is that I now know that the Double Impacts MAY BE VIABLE for my usage in my secondary system as well, which is a smaller room and one in which I would need the speakers to be much closer to the front wall; SHOULD I BE ABLE TO tweak and customize the room treatment appropriately. This in itself, is good news for me!
Well the incredible reviews and high praise from fellow audiogon members has weakened me so. I just bought a pair of Electrons (mid tower version of DI) Soft White/Grills and Upgraded Parts. I hope they aren't too aggressive in the mids and highs. I will have them about 2 feet from the back wall, playing at lower volumes (60-65db) with a sub. I have a Primaluna Dialogue Premium to power them. Wish me luck! I estimate delivery to be 3-4 weeks. Will report back with impressions. Thanks guys and gals $$$$ :o
Congrats aniwolfe, I agree with Kenny that you'll most likely be very pleasantly surprised.
stfoth, I've had my listening position as close as 6' from the DI's with very good results. My DI's are 6' apart and I now have my listening position about 8' away. The DI's allow for a lot of latitude with regards to positioning, room size and listening position.
Ok, You guys asked for Pics. Here you go. Keep in mind , I know the paneling is ugly, BUT, I keep it pretty dark down here. You really do not see it normally like it shows in in the pics, because of the flash. I really hoped for the Grilles, but they are on Backorder. I told the wife Thursday , about the speakers ,when I asked her to help me go pick them up from Fedex office . because they were due on Friday But, they got here a day early . She wasn’t real happy, BUT , when I get the grilles I think she will be ok. LOL. I am still alive. Hurry on the Grilles ,ERIC....PLEASE https://goo.gl/photos/RR1MkWGcWXRza8tk9
So far they sound good . I cannot make a judgement yet. Its really funny that they sound more similar to the speakers i had there, than they sound differently. I still need more time on them .Only 20 hrs or so for now. I had the Source Technology 2268 but upgraded the mid drivers to the SEAS Excel W18EX-001 (E0017) 7" magnesium Cone Woofer. from the
SEAS Prestige ER18RNX (H1456) 7" Reed Paper Cone Woofer
She wanted me to get Double Impacts and the Mini Ulfs in red but I had concerns. They look great in red so she was right. It’s her birthday today, maybe I should order her Impact Monitors in red as a gift ;)
tfoth, I've had my listening position as close as 6' from the DI's with very good results. My DI's are 6' apart and I now have my listening position about 8' away. The DI's allow for a lot of latitude with regards to positioning, room size and listening position
I Cannot remember where i got the info but, the distance that your speakers are apart , center to center Multiplied by a factor of 1.3 to 1.4 equals the ideal listening distance from the speakers. I think mine are 79 inches apart and my listening position is about 103 inches from left speaker to listening position and 105 inches from the right speaker to the listening position. The math says that it should be 102.7 to 110.6 inches
Okay, all four of my woofers have a dimpled dome. In other words, it looks like someone pushed them in. They are all the same and it looks uniform. I thought nothing of it until I saw @grey9hound 's photos. His aren't dimpled....
The dust caps were pushed in on a few of the Pendragon woofers when my DI’s came in. They popped back out no problem. It looks like this can occur pretty easily in the packaging during shipping.
When I said it could happen pretty easily I meant if the product was mishandled by the shipping company. The box is not designed to push in the dust caps. Sadly this happens all too often and I could provide a long list of manufacturers this has occurred with from ATC to Martin Logan. When handled properly like the boxes indicate it shouldn’t be an issue but good luck getting the overworked shipping company employee to read the packaging. At one point over 50% of the speakers I would ship to Quebec were getting damaged in transit.
The boxes came in perfect shape. There was no damage to anything in the box either. All four woofer caps look exactly the same. They are so much the same I thought it was intentional and by design.
Crappy! I figured it was just my pair that got damaged during shipping. Has anyone else in the thread had this happen as well? I really like the injected foam they use in Zu Audio packaging.
Looks like Orem Utah is on the west side of the continental divide. If the cones are so sensitive that a vacuum can remove the dent then maybe the pressure change during transit across the divide is enough. Think of that shampoo bottle after a flight.
I too hve been concerned about the price going up and hopefully this thread hasn't given him the idea to act sooner rather than later. :) If you go about 9 or 10 posts down on the Tekton Facebook page, there is a post with two pics of the DIs. A little over half way down, Eric made the following comment:
$3K pair... inevitably it will go up though.
That was January. Seriously hoping for funding approval from spousal unit before the inevitavble happens.
Seriously, I don't know how he makes much on the DIs at 3k shipped. I've been expecting an increase for a while. Not sure when or how much but yeah, they are an underpriced bargain at this point in time. And if they compare well to the Wilsons (I have heard the Wilsons -- and I love them but I don't think the DIs give up anything to them) in a professional review, they will still be a killer bargain even after an increase.
So I used the shop vac....it pulled the covers out.....but there are still remnants of them being collapsed. I fear these covers will always look like this which is like crap! As I said, the covers looked like they were supposed to be like as all four looked exactly the same.
Eric should warn people about this. It's not like it should be a surprise considering the possible altitude changes during shipping.
I can certainly understand Porscheracer's frustration with receiving damaged goods. It is even magnified with me awaiting my order.
I for one have never heard of this issue with new speakers. These products which appear to be an outstanding value, still requires a significant investment I would assume to most of us.
Does this only happen on a rare occasion, or have others experienced this incident also?
I'm with LP on this. Not quite sure how a ported speaker could develop the pressure to collapse a dust cap on a truck, but I am a noobie in many ways. I think Eric can replace porscheracer's woofers and send the dented dust cap woofers to his suppliers for reconing at a really low cost., which I assume he will do. Reconing a woofer is quite inexpensive in the grand scheme of things.
Mine were fine. I can understand the frustration here. While this will not affect sound quality, it is not acceptable that one has to "shop vac" their new speakers. This ought to have been evident when the speaker was put together. Eric needs to be careful here. He has great products. He is clearly very busy. Not sure how he does it all. BUT, if quality control is sacrificed I hate to think how this might impact the future of his very promising endeavor
Addendum: Jetter the dust cap deformation did not occur when the speaker shipped. They ship ground. Suspect it occurred when the drivers shipped, hence my comment.
When I got my Pendragon center channel speaker, the dust caps were fine. But after several weeks of use, both the caps had crumpled up. It doesn't effect the sound at all, just not pretty to look at. I put grills over it.
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